Electric broiler



April 1955 H. J. LEBHERZ 2,706,239

ELECTRIC BROILER Filed Oct. 15, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR April 12,1955 H. J. LEBHERZ ELECTRIC BROILER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 13, 1952ELECTRIC BROILER Harry J. Lebherz, Frederick, Md., assignor to TheEveredy Company, Frederick, Md., a corporation of Maryland ApplicationOctober 13, 1952, Serial No. 314,489

9 Claims. (Cl. 219-35) My invention relates broadly to cooking utensilsand more particularly to an improved construction of electric broiler.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improvedconstruction of electric broiler having means for positioning the broilpan at different radiation distances from the electric heating elementwithin the broiler.

Another object of my invention is to provide construc tion of electricbroiler including a closed cylindrical casing substantially enclosedthroughout approximately 180 degrees of the cylindrical casing and openthrough the remaining distance for insertion and removal of the broilpan, including means for supporting and maintaining the broil pan atdilferent distances from the radiating electric heater embodied in thebroiler.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a construction ofelectric broiler including an enclosed substantially cylindrical casingopen at one side thereof and provided with means positively supportingthe broil pan at selected distances from the electric heating meanspositioned in the top of the casing.

Still another object of my invention is to provide an improvedconstruction of electric broiler having an electric heating means in thetop thereof and a shelf there beneath for supporting a broil pan inpredetermined radiation distance from the electric heating means andincluding a clip for preventing the tipping of the broil pan during use.

Still another object of my invention is to provide an arrangement ofelectric broiler including a broil pan which may be selectively orientedwithin the broiler casing while in use for observing the condition ofall parts of the food while broiling.

Other and further objects of my invention reside in the improvedconstruction of a two-part casing for an electric broiler which may bereadily assembled with a /support there between for a broil pan as setforth in the specification hereinafter following, by reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the electric broiler of my inventionillustrating the electric service cord about to be connected with theappliance; Fig. 2 is a front view of the electric broiler shown in Fig.l and showing particularly the open side of the cylindrical casingthrough which the broil pan is inserted and removed; Fig. 3 is a sideelevational view of the appliance shown in Figs. 2 and 3; Fig. 4 is avertical sectional view taken substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 1 andshowing the broil pan supported on the horizontal shelf in position forreceiving the radiation from the electric heater element within the topof the casing; Fig. 5 is a view similar to the view illustrated in Fig.4 but showing the broil pan removed from the shelf and supported on thebottom of the casing; Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken online 6-6 of Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line7-7 of Fig. 4; Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the trivet which ismounted in the broil pan for elevating the food above the bottom of thebroil pan during the broiling operation; and Fig. 9 is a perspectiveview of the segmentally shaped members and the associated broil pan clipfor maintaining the broil pan in position.

My invention is directed to a construction of electric broiler which maybe manufactured from a minimum number of pressed metal parts forinexpensive manufacture on a mass production scale. I construct thebroiler from two substantially cylindrical metallic parts which nitedStates Patent 0 coact to form a substantially cylindrical casing openthrough approximately degrees at one side thereof and closed for theremainder of the substantially cylindrical casing, the two partsinterfitting to support a shelf there between for supporting andmaintaining the broil pan in position. The two coacting partsconstituting the substantially cylindrical casing are of differingdepths, and anchored between the two parts I provide a clip operative toengage the edge of the broil pan for maintaining the broil pan inposition when it is inserted in the casing and preventing accidentaltipping thereof. To provide for this clip, I formed the shelf from twosubstantially segmentally shaped members terminating on opposite sidesof the clip. The broil pan is proportioned so that it may be readilyinserted through the open side of the casing and mounted upon the shelfformed by the segmentally shaped members and the edge of the broil panengaged under the clip for preventing tipping of the broil pan whileallowing orientation of the broil pan through a distance which isslightly less than approximately 180 degrees, enabling all parts of thefood in the broil pan to be inspected and the broiling more readilyaccomplished. Referring to the drawings in more detail, referencecharacter 1 designates the top section of the electric broiler, whilereference character 2 designates the lower section thereof. The topsection 1 is approximately twice the depth of the lower section 2. Thelower section 2 terminates in a laterally extending flange 3. The topsection 1 terminates in a laterally projecting flange 4 which has adownwardly projecting substantially cylindrical rim 5 which envelops theperipheral edge 3 of the lower section of the cylindrical casing 2. Theupper substantially cylindrical section 1 has an opening at one sidethereof represented at 6 which is slightly less than 180 degrees. Thelower section 2 has a similar opening 7 at one side thereof which isaligned with the opening 6, forming a partially open side for theappliance where the upper section 1 has a depending hood portion 8 andthe lower section 2 has an upwardly extending rim portion 9.Intermediate the upper portion 1 and lower portion 2, 1 provide a pairof segmentally shaped shelf members 10 and These segmentally shapedshelf members 10 and 11 project beyond the aligned openings 6 and 7 inthe sides of the upper and lower portions 1 and 2 which form theenclosed casing and terminate in spaced relation at their adjacent endsindicated at 10a and 11a in Fig. 6. These segmentally shaped members 10and 11 are supported on the horizontally extending flange 3 of the lowerportion 2 of the casing and are engaged by the flange 4 of the upperportion 1 of the casing and the edge thereof enveloped by rim 5 of theupper portion 1 of the casing. Intermediate the adjacent ends lfla and11a of the segmentally shaped members 10 and 11, I position thesubstantially Z-shaped clip shown at 12 where the base of the Z-shapedclip extends in a horizontal direction as represented at 12a and issecured between flange 3 of the lower portion 2 of the casing and flange4 of the upper portion 1 of the casing by means of rivet 14 which passesthrough flanges 3 and 4 and is headed over externally thereof.Segmentally shaped members 10 and 11 are secured in position betweenflanges 3 and 4 in a similar manner by means of rivets 15, 16, 17 and 18which also pass through both flanges 3 and 4 and the intermediatesegmentally shaped members 10 and 11 there between and are headed overexternally of the said flanges 3 and 4. Thus a sturdy, substantiallycylindrical casing is provided for the electric broiler with a lateralshelf within the casing and a clip interiorly the casing for conjointlysupporting and retaining the broil pan 19 in position. The broil pan 19has a vertically extending side wall terminating in an outwardly flaredrim 19a. The rim 19a is engaged inside the casing by the inwardlyprojecting top portion 12b of the substantially Z-shaped clip 12. Thebroil pan is provided with a handle supporting bracket 20 at one sidethereof to which the heat insulated handle 21 is secured, enabling thebroil pan 19 to be oriented on the segmentally shaped members 19 and 11through an angle approaching 180 degrees and enabling the foodrepresented at 22, supported on the trivet 23, to be readily inspected.The trivet 23 comprises a circular stamping of sheet metal having spacedfeet struck therefrom in the form of lugs 23a forming mounting means forsupporting the trivet 23 above the bottom of the broil pan 19 andelevating the food above the grease which may accumulate in the bottomof the broil pan. Concentric rows of apertures of different sizes, shownat 24, 25 and 26, are provided in the trivet to enable the grease to bedrained from the food which is broiled.

The lower portion 2 of the casing is provided with brackets 27 and 28extending in diametrically opposite directions therefrom and whichsupport the handles 29 and 30 of heat insulation material.

The electric heating element is shown in the form of a coiled resistor31 mounted in a circuitous recessed path 32 formed in the heatinsulating refractory 33. The refractory 33 has an extension 34 at oneside thereof which projects through the recess 35 in the top of theupper portion 1 of the casing. The projecting portion 34 forms aterminal block for mounting the terminals 36 which electrically connectwith the heating coil 31. A power service cord is shown at 37 havingconnector 38 thereon adapted to engage the pin terminals 36 forsupplying heating current to the coils 31. The refractory block ofinsulation material 33 is secured in the top portion 1 of the casing bymeans of bolt member 39 which extends through the refractory block 33and through the spacing member 40 secured to the block and is fastenedto the top portion 1 by the engaging nut 41. The heat is radiateddownwardly from coils 31 for broiling the food such as meat 22 supportedon the trivet 23.

The electric broiler of my invention may be used in pre-heating foodwith the broil pan on the bottom of the lower portion 2 as illustratedin Fig. 5 and may then be elevated to the shelf formed by segmentallyshaped members 10 and 11 for broiling as represented in Fig. 4. Afterbroiling, the broil pan may be removed and replaced upon the bottomportion 2 as illustrated in Pig. 5 for maintaining the food or meatwarm. As heretofore pointed out, the substantially ISO-degreeorientation of the broil pan, while being retained against accidentaltipping by clip 12, enables the meat or food to be readily inspectedthroughout the broiling operation.

The electric broiler is proportioned so that the upper casing member 1has a depth which is substantially twice the depth of the lower casing2. When joined at the juncture formed by the connection of the casingmembers 1 and 2 end to end, this proportion enables the broil pan to belocated a safe distance from the electric heating means, either in theuppermost position of the broil pan, as illustrated at Fig. 4, or thelowermost position of the broil pan, as illustrated in Fig. 5. When thebroil pan is supported in its lowermost position, accidental withdrawalof the broil pan from the lower casing 2 is prevented by the up-turnedperipheral edge 9 of the lower casing member 2. As the broil pan isoriented for inspecting the food being broiled, the handle deviceconstituted in part by bracket 2% and handle 21 is used to shift theposition of the broil pan within limits fixed by the verticallyextending edges of the aligned openings 6 and 7 in the upper and lowercylindrical sections 1 and 2. The handles 29 and 30 are symmetricallydisposed in diametrically opposite positions extending externally fromthe lower casing member 2 and are so positioned that when the electricbroiler is fully loaded, the mass in the broil pan and the mass formedby the electric heating device in the top of the upper casing member 1are so distributed that the broiler remains in steady equilibrium whenplaced on a supporting surface such as 42 through the feet members ofinsulation material represented at 43.

While I have described my invention in certain of its preferredembodiments, I realize that modifications may be made, and I desire thatit be understood that no limitations upon my invention are intendedother than may be imposed by the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is as follows:

1. An electric broiler comprising a two-part casing formed by upper andlower substantially closed cylindrical casing members, said casingmembers having aligned openings in one side thereof extending through adistance slightly less than 180 degrees, means connecting said casingmembers end to end, means fastened to said casing members by theaforesaid means and projecting into said casing for a peripheraldistance of substantially one quadrant and forming a horizontalperipheral shelf within said casing, a broil pan slidable through theopenings in said casing members above or below said shelf andsupportable on the bottom of the lower casing member in a lowermostposition and supportable on said shelf in an uppermost position, and anelectric heating element supported in the top of the upper casing memberfor radiating heat downwardly in the direction of said broil pan ineither of the positions thereof.

2. An electric broiler as set forth in claim 1 in which the meansprojecting into said casing comprises a pair of segmentally shapedmembers supported at their outer peripheries between said casingmembers.

3. An electric broiler as set forth in claim 1 in which the meansprojecting into said casing comprises a pair of fiat segmentally shapedmembers supported at their peripheries between said casing members andextending into adjacent positions spaced from each other interiorly ofsaid casing substantially at a mid-peripheral position thereof and meansdisposed at said mid-peripheral position forming a securing means forthe broil pan when the broil pan is moved to a limiting position withinsaid casing on the shelf formed by said segmentally shaped members.

4. A broil pan as set forth in claim 1 in which the means projectinginto said casing are constituted by a pair of segmentally shaped memberswhere the outer ends of the segmentally shaped members project beyondthe aligned openings in said casing members and the inner ends of suchsegmentally shaped members terminate in spaced relation with respect toeach other and means secured between said casing members and extendingbetween the adjacent ends of said segmentally shaped members forengaging the edge of the broil pan when said broil pan is supported onthe shelf formed by said segmentally shaped members.

5. An electric broiler as set forth in claim' 1 in which the meansprojecting into said casing are constituted by a pair of segmentallyshaped members peripherally secured between said casing members andterminating in spaced relation at substantially the mid-points of thecasing members directly opposite the openings therein and a clip securedbetween said casing members and extending between the adjacent ends ofsaid segmentally shaped members and having the end thereof projectingtoward the interior of said casing and forming a retaining means for thebroil pan when the broil pan is supported on the shelf constituted bysaid segmentally shaped members.

6. An electric broiler as set forth in claim 1 in which the meansprojecting into said casing comprise a pair of segmentally shapedmembers secured at their peripheries between the co-acting casingmembers and terminating at their inner ends in spaced relation in aposition interiorly of said casing diametrically opposite the alignedopenings in said casing members and a substantially Z-shaped memberhaving one end thereof secured between the co-acting casing members andthe other end thereof projecting into the interior of said casing andforming an engaging means for the broil pan when the broil pan issupported on the shelf constituted by said segmentally shaped members.

7. An electric boiler as set forth in claim 1 in which said broil pan isprovided with a handle device projecting from one side thereof whereinsaid broil pan may be oriented within said casing through a horizontaldistance limited by the abutment of said handle device with oppositeedges of the openings in said casing members.

8. An electric broiler as set forth in claim 1 in which said uppercasing member has a depth which is substantially twice the depth of saidlower casing member, for controlling thereby the distance between theboil pan and the electric heating element in said upper casing member.

9. An electric broiler as set forth in claim 1 in which the junctionbetween said upper casing member and said lower casing member is formedby a flange carried by said upper casing member and an integraldownwardly extending peripheral rim and wherein said lower casing memberis provided with a flange aligned with the flange on said upper casingmember and in which said means projecting into said casing is securedbetween said flanges, the rim on said first-mentioned flange extendingover the peripheral edge of said last-mentioned flange.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS Kuhn et a1. Feb. 17, 1920 Boyd et a1. Dec.28, 1920 5 Reichold Dec. 28, 1926 6 Fritsche Sept. 29, 1936 Barkinsky eta1. Nov. 1, 1938 Lucas et a1. May 2, 1939 Moon Jan. 30, 1940 Rehm Feb.29, 1944 Kaplan June 6, 1950

